Just another WordPress.com site

Main menu

Post navigation

SHAVUOT (PENTECOST) PICTURE OF THE ONE-NEW-MAN BRIDE

Yesterday, we learnt that Shavuot (Pentecost) is considered to be the Marriage Day between God and Is-real. Did you know that the Book of Ruth is read every Shavuot in Hebrew Houses of Worship? In traditional settings, the Book of Ruth is read on the second day of Shavuot.

It always behooves us Christians to look to the roots of our faith. The Hebrews give many explanations for the reading of Ruth during the Feast of Shavuot. The most quoted one is that Ruth came to Israel around Shavuot and she accepted the Hebrew’s God of the Torah (i.e., Word of God). They also mention that Ruth’s Biblical story takes place during the spring harvest of Shavuot. What I would like to point out for Christians is that Ruth was King David’s grandmother. Ruth is listed in the pure generations of the Messiah in Matthew 1:5 “And Salmon begot Boaz of his wife Rahab; Boaz begot Obed of his wife Ruth; Obed begot Jesse.”

Wow! Not once, but twice in Matthew 1:5 is the One New Man in Christ depicted (Ephesians 2:15). Both faithful Rahab and Ruth were gloriously grafted into the Messiah lineage. Shavuot has many names. One of them is the Feast of First Fruits. Bikkirum during the Passover Season marks the first fruits barley harvest (Jesus’ resurrection) while Shavuot hails the spring wheat harvest. In Ruth, who was a Moabite Gentile whose generations sinned greatly, we see the picture of the kinsman redeemer uniting the One New Man of Jew and Gentile in the Messiah.

I love the story of Ruth! Take the time to read its short, but meaty, four chapters. Today, we will only highlight the yumminess of the One New Man Bride and the beautiful kinsman redeemer portrayed in Boaz.

Naomi and Elimelech had two sons Malion and Calion. While staying in Moab, the two sons took Moabite wives Orpah and Ruth and Naomi husband died. Naomi and her sons’ families continued to dwell in Moab about ten years before both of Naomi’s sons died as well. This tremendous tragedy was the catalyst that caused Naomi, Orpah and Ruth to return to the land of Judah. On the journey home, Naomi pleaded to both of her daughter-in-laws to return home three times. After the second entreaty, Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, turned back and went away. It’s interesting that Orpah’s name means neck. In this case, the back of the neck.

Notice that when Orpah went back to her people, Ruth clung to Naomi (Ruth 1:14). Then some of the most beautiful words in the Bible are uttered by Ruth after Naomi tells Ruth to return to her home the third time: “Far be it from me to return from following after you, and to leave you; for where you go, I will go; and where you dwell, I will dwell; your people shall be my people, and your God, my God” (Ruth 1:16 Peshitta Aramaic). Talk about a bridal heart. This sold-out, devout heart in this Gentile caused her to fully-grafted into the Nation of Is-real.

Then, we have handsome, kind and wise Boaz. We are told that Boaz was a well-known man of wealth who was one of Naomi’s and Ruth’s nearest kinsmen. Notice in Ruth 2:20 Naomi tells Ruth “our nearest kinsman.” Heavy on the “our.” Even though the Book of Ruth doesn’t directly mention Jesus Christ, the whole book is about our redemption by Christ, our Kinsman Redeemer. The kinsman is the one who has the right to redeem, and the law of the Kinsman Redeemer is in the Jubilee chapter – Leviticus 25:25 – ” If one of your fellow Israelites becomes poor and sells some of their property, their nearest relative is to come and redeem what they have sold.” The law of the Kinsman Redeemer (among other things) is a picture of Yeshua (Jesus) buying our liberty through His death, burial and resurrection.

Listen to what Boaz (a type of Messiah) says to the faithful Ruth. “And Boaz said to her, I have been fully informed of all that you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband; and how you have left your father and mother and your family, and come to a people that you did not know before. May the LORD God of Israel reward you, and may the One under whose wings you have come to take shelter recompense you” (Ruth 2:11-12). The Bible speaks of such a worthy heart: “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. (Matthew 10:37-39 NKJV).

Long story, short. Boaz falls in love with the faithful, faithful Ruth. Boaz knows this woman’s value is greater than any gold. Read the integrity and vehemence of Boaz acting as Ruth and Naomi’s Kinsman Redeemer in Ruth chapter 4. I simply want to point out notice the lengths that Boaz and Ruth go to. Ruth and Boaz’s son Obed was known as “a son has been born to Naomi” (Ruth 4:17). Selfless bridal service and love. Selfless kinsman redemption from the Bridegroom. Great is the reward of the LORD God of Israel, for on every Shavuot, the great story of One-New-Man Bride Ruth is told.